Denny Hamlin hangs on for Pocono win in two-lap shootout

With nearly everyone close on fuel as Sunday’s Gander RV 400 went to overtime, Hamlin was able to fight off a charge from Kyle Larson and Jones and hang on for victory at Pocono Raceway.

The win is Hamlin’s fifth at the track but first since 2010. It’s his third win of the season.

"I was really worried, really worried," Hamlin said of his fuel situation in overtime. "We just did a great job with the car. Once we lost the track position there to (Truex) and (Jones), I thought it was over, we weren't able to pass them.

"Thanks Pocono for putting in this PJ1. I was able to use it there, get around those guys.  Thanks, everyone, for this FedEx Camry. I think we're on a roll this year."

Asked if he and his No. 11 Toyota were "rising to the occasion," he said: "We're running our best right now.  No doubt about it. We are just going to keep plugging along. That's all I can say.  We're doing the best we can."

Martin Truex Jr. finished third as Joe Gibbs Racing swept the top-three positions. William Byron was fourth and Larson completed the top-five.

Rounding out the top 10 were Kevin Harvick, Daniel Hemric, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney.

Hamlin said heading into the NASCAR playoffs he wanted to know his team was a "race winner" and the last two weeks have answered that question.

"You want to know that you can contend for wins. Yeah, you're looking for momentum, but you're just looking for wins week in, week out," he said. "So proud of this FedEx Ground team for giving us yet another winner two weeks in a row.

"I tell you, we really fought for it last week and came up short. Feel goods to redeem ourselves this week and have such a strong car."

Stage 3

Following the break between Stages 2 and 3, some of the lead-lap cars elected to pit but Harvick remained on the track and took over the lead when the race returned to green on Lap 104.

He was followed by Joey Logano, Truex, Hamlin and Austin Dillon.

Hamlin got a big run off Turn 1 and was able to get around Harvick to take the lead in Turn 2 for the first time in the race.

With 50 of 160 laps remaining in the race, Hamlin had built almost a 2-second lead over Logano as Harvick remained in third. They were followed by Jones and Larson.

On Lap 114, Ryan Preece slammed into the Turn 1 wall to bring out a caution. All of the lead-lap cars elected to pit except Kyle Busch and her took over the lead. 

On the restart on Lap 119, Busch was followed by Jones (who was first off pit road with a 2-tire stop), Hamlin, Truex and Daniel Suarez.

After 120 laps, Kyle Busch held a small lead over Jones. They were followed by Truex, Keselowski and Hamlin. 

With 30 laps remaining in the race, Busch had opened a 1.4-second lead over Jones as Truex remained in third, nearly 4 seconds behind the leader.

Jones moved into the lead on Lap 135 as Kyle Busch was forced to pit to get enough fuel to make it to the end of the race. Truex moved into second and Hamlin third. Kyle Busch dropped to 25th after his pit stop.

Many drivers were going to be close on gas as the race wound down to 20 laps remaining. Harvick, who had taken 4 tires on his last stop and was saving fuel, had worked his way back up to fourth.

Hamlin got around Truex on Lap 143 to move into the runner-up position. On Lap 144, Hamlin got around Jones to reclaim the lead.

On Lap 147, Harvick moved into third and was told he was good to go on fuel and to challenge the leaders.

Josh Bilicki stopped on the track on Lap 153 which forced NASCAR to throw a caution. When the race returned to green with four laps remaining, Hamlin led the way followed by Truex, Harvick, Jones and Keselowski.

As the field came off Turn 2 on the restart, Kurt Busch squeezed Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who took advance and got into Busch, turning him into Michael McDowell as the race returned immediately to caution.

The cleanup forced the race into a two-lap overtime. On the restart, Hamlin led followed by Jones, Truex, Larson and Harvick.

Cla	#	Driver	Manufacturer	Laps	Time	Laps Led
1	11	Denny Hamlin	Toyota	163		32
2	20	Erik Jones	Toyota	163	0.341	10
3	19	Martin Truex Jr.	Toyota	163	1.023
4	24	William Byron	Chevrolet	163	1.477
5	42	Kyle Larson	Chevrolet	163	1.967
6	4	Kevin Harvick	Ford	163	2.524	62
7	8	Daniel Hemric	Chevrolet	163	2.774
8	2	Brad Keselowski	Ford	163	3.193
9	18	Kyle Busch	Toyota	163	4.249	56
10	12	Ryan Blaney	Ford	163	4.269
11	14	Clint Bowyer	Ford	163	4.317
12	10	Aric Almirola	Ford	163	4.358
13	22	Joey Logano	Ford	163	4.863
14	6	Ryan Newman	Ford	163	4.867
15	48	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet	163	5.014	3
16	37	Chris Buescher	Chevrolet	163	5.231
17	95	Matt DiBenedetto	Toyota	163	5.893
18	21	Paul Menard	Ford	163	5.970
19	3	Austin Dillon	Chevrolet	163	6.009
20	88	Alex Bowman	Chevrolet	163	6.039
21	17	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	Ford	163	6.892
22	43	Darrell Wallace Jr.	Chevrolet	163	7.230
23	36	Matt Tifft	Ford	163	7.240
24	41	Daniel Suarez	Ford	163	7.265
25	34	Michael McDowell	Ford	163	8.390
26	32	Corey Lajoie	Ford	162	1 lap
27	1	Kurt Busch	Chevrolet	162	1 lap
28	00	Landon Cassill	Chevrolet	159	4 laps
29	13	Ty Dillon	Chevrolet	159	4 laps
30	15	Ross Chastain	Chevrolet	159	4 laps
31	77	Quin Houff	Chevrolet	158	5 laps
32	27	Reed Sorenson	Chevrolet	158	5 laps
33	51	B.J. McLeod	Ford	158	5 laps
34	52	Austin Theriault	Ford	157	6 laps
35	53	Josh Bilicki	Chevrolet	146	17 laps
36	38	David Ragan	Ford	123	40 laps
37	47	Ryan Preece	Chevrolet	114	49 laps
38	9	Chase Elliott	Chevrolet	83	80 laps